The Apostate Church

2Th 2:3

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

Paul speaks in this passage to an apostasy not in the lost world but in the church of Christ. What was once the Church of Christ and what continues to claim to be the church of Christ has in fact currently fallen away from its doctrine and mission. Godly reverence has been replaced by freedom and liberty, the literal judgment of God has been replaced with an acceptance of sin, worship of God in Spirit and truth has been replaced with self worship, and biblical God ordained leadership has been replaced with a communal mentality that carries no authority but is born out of rebellion and anarchy.

While the Emerging and Emergent church culture displays this rebellion against God in more blatant ways it also exists in conservative circles in more subtle ways. The attribution to this apostasy goes to the methodology of evangelism to include and especially in the Southern Baptist Convention. We train our laymen to deliver a gospel message in minutes, coerce the "new convert " to be at church Sunday morning, coerce them to walk the "sawdust trail", make a public confession and drive them to the baptistery only to admit them into the membership roles
of our churches without any concern to evidence of the Holy Ghost on their lives.

When the number of baptisms becomes the measure of a living church we have departed from sound doctrine, godly worship, and common sense. Mt 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Large numbers both on the membership roles and in baptisms are not evidence of a living church. Many are called but few are chosen and when we look and see large numbers it can be a sign of an apostate church. For not may receive Jesus Christ. Many are more inclined to go through the broad way but attend church to feel good about their sin.

Mt 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Few people will come to God in Spirit and truth. When we cram the gospel into 10 minute presentations we fail to preach and acknowledge the true meaning of what life in the kingdom of God is. For it is a life that has a heart to serve Him day and night. The sinners prayer is not the agent of conversion, but the true agent of conversion is the Holy Ghost. We have been convinced that if we can get them to their knees then they must really want to be saved. I do not disagree with that. They must want to be saved. But the error comes in the lack of understanding by well intentioned Christians that wanting to be saved is not enough.

The rich ruler wanted to be saved in Luke 18. But he refused salvation in the end and walked away from it "sorrowful". Desiring to be saved is not evidence of a true conversion but it is evidence of a belief in God and an understanding of the need to escape the coming judgment of God. People who will spend eternity in hell will not spend eternity remorseful and regretful. They will spend eternity in hell in their sin and their desire for it. True judgment isn't about flames and regret it is about turning you over to your sin. Jesus gave us a picture of hell as a place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. We assume this is regret and suffering as a result of flames. But the word "gnashing" is not a result of suffering as in pain but it is the anger of those who are in rebellion and cry out to God "just who are you to put me here, you have no right". It is the same rebellion of Satan. The problem of the world is not unbelief as it is believed by many, but the key problem with the world is that they reject God in the midst of their clear belief in Him just as the rich ruler did and just as Judas did.

We have blamed the lack of conversion on the failures of the church. It is not true. For one who truly has a heart for God will respond to the call regardless of offenses and culture. And it is this very point that the EC fails to recognize. The agent for change and conversion is not the culture and lack of offenses but the agent of change is the call of God in heaven. Those who are going to respond to God in Spirit and in truth will do so even in the midst of adversity.

The good news is I have seen and am convinced that God continues to raise up godly, Holy Ghost filled preachers to preach the gospel as God intended it and to be the messenger and the warrior of God who will sound the clarion call and preach the Word just in the same way Paul charged Timothy to do, in season and out of season reproving, rebuking, exhorting with all longsuffering and doctrine. Let us pray for more warriors and Holy ghost preachers.